Rural Development

Many rural communities have seen farmland eroded by housing development, or are losing young residents to places with more amenities and greater opportunities. Whether drained by sprawl or struggling to compete, how can rural communities address these challenges while remaining true to their unique character?

Smart Growth America’s Rural Development program is designed to help local leaders strengthen rural economies through a smart growth approach to development. This program is designed to give rural residents and leaders better information about the financial and economic impacts of development choices.

“Smart growth strategies can help small towns build durable local economies, reduce public costs, and preserve the features that make them unique. And reinvesting in existing places can actually be even more impactful in smaller communities than in big cities. Small communities have fewer financial resources to work with, so even modest efforts to reduce costs—or generate more revenue—by growing in different ways can make a big difference.”

Hon. John Robert Smith
Senior Policy Advisor, Smart Growth America, and former mayor of Meridian, MS

Rural communities across the country have abundant natural beauty and a heritage of hard work. By bridging the gap in broadband capabilities, these communities are creating a new resource for their current residents and making themselves more competitive in the national economy.

Rural towns across the country have character, natural beauty, and a solid foundation of walkable main street grids spare, priming them to compete for talent and the job creators that are chasing them.